After a short break, The Two Way Radio Show Podcast is back for its 16th year with Episode 210! We discuss a petition submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposing the allocation of low band VHF frequencies to the GMRS and potentially FRS users. Plus, a shout out to President Radio for exceptional customer service!
TWRS-210 - VHF For the GMRS?
Show Notes:TWRS-210 - VHF For the GMRS?
Here’s the video version for those who like to watch.
I’m glad you guys are back. I enjoy your podcasts. The VHF for GMRS proposal has certainly given the internet radio operators a resurrected dead horse to beat. As you mentioned, we don’t even know if the FCC will even take this proposal seriously. When I read about this proposal my first thought was Lower VHF frequencies and the present UHF frequencies used by GMRS have very different use cases. You guys point this out as well. I have had several HAM ht’s with 6m, one of them I purchased from you guys, and while they are good radios they are not the end-all-be-all answer to multi-frequency handheld radios. They are a compromise at best. I could see there being a market for a mobile GMRS radio with the low band VHS being proposed, but again, I see a different use than we see now for the present GMRS allocations. But hey! The proposal has people talking ( and whining, and sniveling etc.). Thanks for the podcast. It is good to have your podcast back.
Sean
Good episode. I could see a new service being created for it (maybe the Rural Mobile Radio Service) but I think including it in GMRS could be very problematic. For one, anyone with any serious low band experience will tell you desense on mobiles is horrid. At 100W you may not be able to talk with anyone within 100 yards of you so it really throws out a lot of usability for the offroad community. Also with such high proposed power limits, you are going to see this get worse with people who simply don’t have a full grasp of RF. To the consumer, power sells so why would they take a low power radio when they can get full legal power (i.e. look at some of the comments on GME’s new GMRS radios).
Surely the ‘general’ in GMRS suggests the entire thing’s point is a band where the authorities just let people police it themselves (unless it gets nasty) and they can tick a box and spend their time on other bands? Kids toys and business users all getting along in ignorance.
The biggest drawback for FRS, MURS and other UHF and VHS is Cellphones are cheap.
I can see in Construction work the VHF or UHF radio would real nice.
In past I use CBS with a rubber duck 
. But size of some VHF and UHF is better and do not have employees use the cellphone for other calls.
I even read using VHF or UHF in disasters. It line of sight and in disaster the repeaters/Node is probably out or laying ground.
Best way is if use a VHF or UHF over 3 to 6 miles then cellphone is working why would need VHF or UHF
The great place for VHF and UHF radios is in parks , biking, jogging , statum and around home/ranch. Because of small size and fits in pocket easily
Dave